Women's NCAA Tournament: UK sinks Navy 61-41

QUEENS, N.Y. — Kentucky had yet another slow start in the NCAA Tournament, but a fast start to the second half was all the Cats needed to right the ship and advance 61-41 over Navy.

Kentucky head coach Matthew Mitchell calls out to his team during the second half of a first-round game against Navy in the women's NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday, March 24, 2013, in New York. Kentucky won the game 61-41. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Navy's Audrey Bauer (20) and Kentucky's Samarie Walker (23) chase down a loose ball during the first half of a first-round game in the women's NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday March 24, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Navy's M.L. Morrison (24) defends Kentucky's DeNesha Stallworth (11) during the first half of a first-round game in the women's NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday, March 24, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
AP

Navy's M.L. Morrison (24) defends Kentucky's DeNesha Stallworth (11) during the first half of a first-round game in the women's NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday, March 24, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Kentucky's Jennifer O'Neill (0) defends Navy's Chloe Stapleton during the second half of a first-round game in the women's NCAA college basketball tournament on Sunday, March 24, 2013, in New York. Kentucky won the game 61-41. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
AP

Navy's Kara Pollinger (32) drives past Kentucky's Janee Thompson (3) during the first half of a first-round game in the women's NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday, March 24, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Kentucky's Jennifer O'Neill (0) drives past Navy's Kara Pollinger (32) during the second half of a first-round game in the women's NCAA college basketball tournament on Sunday, March 24, 2013, in New York. Kentucky won the game 61-41. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Kentucky's DeNesha Stallworth, right, drives past Navy's Erin Meador during the second half of a first-round game in the women's NCAA college basketball tournament on Sunday, March 24, 2013, in New York. Kentucky won the game 61-41. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Kentucky's DeNesha Stallworth (11) shoots over Navy's Jade Geif during the second half of a first-round game in the women's NCAA college basketball tournament on Sunday, March 24, 2013, in New York. Kentucky won the game 61-41. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Kentucky's Jennifer O'Neill (0) drives past Navy's Audrey Bauer (20) and Erin Meador, right, during the second half of a first-round game in the women's NCAA college basketball tournament on Sunday, March 24, 2013, in New York. Kentucky won the game 61-41. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Kentucky's Samarie Walker (23) drives psat Navy's Kara Pollinger (32) and teammate Jade Geif during the second half of a first-round game in the women's NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday March 24, 2013, in New York. Kentucky won the game 61-41. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Navy head coach Stefanie Pemper calls out to her team during the second half of a first-round game against Kentucky in the women's NCAA college basketball tournament on Sunday, March 24, 2013, in New York. Kentucky won the game 61-41. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
AP

Navy's Jade Geif (21) and teammate Alix Membreno (0) look at the scorboard during the second half of a first-round game against Kentucky in the women's NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday, March 24, 2013, in New York. Navy lost the game 61-41. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Navy's Erin Meador, foreground, and teammate M.L. Morrison, top, fight for control of the ball with Kentucky's Bria Goss during the first half of a first-round game in the women's NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday March 24, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Navy's Jade Geif (21) shoots over Kentucky's DeNesha Stallworth (11) during the first half of a first-round game in the women's NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday March 24, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Navy's Jade Geif (21) is defended by Kentucky's Janee Thompson (3) during the first half of a first-round game in the women's NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday, March 24, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Kentucky coach Matthew Mitchell huddled with the team in the second half Sunday.
Lexington Herald-Leader

QUEENS, N.Y. — Jennifer O'Neill had just gotten back home. She wasn't ready to turn around and head back to Lexington so soon.

So Kentucky's sophomore point guard took matters into her own hands to start the second half of the Cats' first-round NCAA Tournament game.

O'Neill opened the half with a three-pointer and scored seven points of a 12-2 run that helped UK right the ship and down Navy 61-41 on Sunday.

"She was all over the place," Coach Matthew Mitchell said of the guard from nearby Bronx. "She was very dynamic."

But it wasn't O'Neill's points and assists (she had four of those) that got Kentucky going, the coach argued.

It was her defense. O'Neill had four of her career-high five steals in the second half and led a UK charge that held the Midshipmen to 15 points in the second half and 23.8-percent shooting.

"The run was all about defense there in the second half and we were finally able to frustrate the Naval Academy a little bit with our pressure," Mitchell said of his Cats, who advanced to face Dayton in the second round Tuesday night at Carnesecca Arena.

Kentucky held Navy (21-12) to 41 points, the fewest given up by the Cats in an NCAA Tournament game. The Cats' 16 steals tied a school record in this tournament.

"We've never been pressured so hard for 40 minutes," said Navy junior forward Jade Geif, who along with guard Alix Membreno led the Mids with nine points.

Kentucky, which had won its past three first-round NCAA Tournament games by no more than six points, had to overcome yet another slow start. On Sunday, the Cats missed all but one of their first 11 shots and trailed Navy 23-16.

"We were a bit frantic around the goal, just rushing shots," Mitchell said of his team, which missed 13 shots near the basket in the first half. "We were really off balance and rushing around the rim."

But UK's players said that when all else fails, defense can change the game.

"We knew if we relied on our defense and just got stops and kept pushing the ball, then things would eventually fall for us," said forward DeNesha Stallworth, who had game highs of 18 points and 11 rebounds.

For the first time in her Kentucky career, two-time Southeastern Conference Player of the Year A'dia Mathies didn't score a basket, but UK had enough firepower to get by, including 14 points from Samarie Walker.

The junior forward also added six rebounds for UK, which outrebounded Navy 43-30.

Stallworth said Kentucky (28-5) seemed rusty after having a two-week break between its loss in the SEC Tournament title game and this first-round game.

Any rust mostly showed in UK's three-point defense, which allowed Navy to hit five shots in the game's first 13 minutes. But the Mids managed only one more the rest of the game.

In fact, in the final six minutes of the first half, UK held the Midshipmen to just three points and used a 9-1 run to get back in the game, including seven in a row by Stallworth, who also had three steals and two assists for the game.

Navy was held to 5-for-21 shooting in the second half.

"They definitely came out a lot stronger in the second half," Membreno said. "I definitely think fatigue might have had a little something to do with it. It was just such a fast-paced game."

It was just the pace O'Neill wanted. It's the pace of her city, of her hometown, which she wanted to spend some extra time in and show off to her teammates.

When asked if the win was special because she had so many family and friends in the stands, O'Neill shook her head.

"The game wasn't big because my family was here," she said. "It was big because it's the NCAA Tournament and we have a goal of making it to New Orleans. That's what made this game big."

Tuesday

Kentucky vs. Dayton

When:7 p.m.

Where: Queens, N.Y.

Online: Go to Kentucky.com for more photos from Sunday's game.

20

The largest margin of victory for Kentucky in an NCAATournament game.

41

The fewest points given up by UK in an NCAA tourney game. Cats allowed 15 in second half.